Them Clones Regroup, Release Singles

Delhi band Them Clones, who have been on a hiatus for about eight months now, are ready to get back on stage with their newest band member and former Faridkot keyboardist Akshay Raheja. Says the band’s drummer Surojit Dev, “Akshay knew our songs inside out and so fit right into the band.”

The group was hit badly when their bassist Clarence Gonsalves succumbed to cancer last year and when guitarist Gucci Singh quit the band in December 2012. Band member Joseph Lalhmachhuana, also on guitar, was taken ill and returned home to Aizawl to recuperate which is when the band decided to call for a break. “We took a break to figure the road ahead and began working on new material by the end of June before Akshay came in,” says Dev, “So with Akshay, while we’re not aiming for a bass tone on the synth, he adds to the music melodically.” Their two new singles “Mediocre,” a track about chasing mediocre needs without giving oneself a chance to live in the moment and “Speak When I’m Gone,” a song about betrayal, were released by the band this week. Adds Dev,Â “As a band, we’re chasing goals too, which are miniscule in the larger scope of things as the track “Mediocre” suggests.”

Them Clones have been getting queries about gig bookings, adds Dev, and the band plans to play a tour in October. “I don’t have dates as yet because I want to set up a tour,” says Dev, “We’ve also never used a click track live but now with samples, we’ll need a track to trigger it off, so we’re figuring those things out. But everything else will be live ”“Â I’m not using a drum pad or any other electronic set up supporting me.” The band has another five or six tracks in the making and plan to perform mostly all new material when they take to stage next. “The core will not change. Our sound will be driven by rock riffs,” says Dev.

“Mediocre” and “Speak When I’m Alone” are available for free download here.Â